Never a good headline for a presidential candidate, especially when it is from the AP.The story explains the incidents that gave rise to Obama's recent red-white-and-blue chatter:
First came questions about why he doesn't wear a flag lapel pin. Obama said he thinks true patriotism is demonstrated by a person's actions, not his lapel.
Then came a wave of e-mails with a picture that supposedly showed him refusing to put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance. Obama said the picture was actually taken during the national anthem, and he was singing.
More recently, and more seriously for Obama, his wife was quoted as saying the country's response to his campaign had made her proud of America for the first time. And his pastor was seen criticizing the country in endlessly repeated video excerpts of sermons criticizing government racism.
"Not 'God Bless America'—God damn America!" said the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who also called the country the "U.S. of KKK-A."